Upgrades to a downtown hotel cater especially to the WVU community.

➼ In 2016, a group of colleagues at a national hotel chain in Philadelphia went rogue. Their new Scholar Hotel Group re-opened the former Chestnut Hotel in downtown Morgantown this fall as its third property in a university town.

Scholar Hotel Group has carefully chosen its locations to cater to students, their families, and college sports fans traveling into towns for games. The Morgantown location is within walking distance of everything downtown has to offer, particularly the downtown campus and the PRT, making it quick and easy for guests to access all things WVU.

Guests of the hotel in its previous incarnation will notice some striking visual changes. The lobby is now styled with tasteful blue and gold accents. Two photo enlargements of WVU football history adorn an exposed brick wall. The new decor especially welcomes Mountaineer fans and alumni while remaining stylish for other business and pleasure travelers who like a downtown location.

The management team also added a variety of new amenities. The lobby now offers a bistro restaurant and bar. Guests or passersby looking for a quick bite to eat can stop in the small market—offerings include popcorn, Nutella, microwave meals, and an array of snacks. The compact but varied workout facility holds treadmills, elliptical, pulley machine, free weights, and a medicine ball rack. One large room, never used by the previous owners, has been transformed into a spacious ADA suite, complete with a large living room, kitchenette, and king bed.

Scholar’s boutique size of just 41 rooms allows for personalized attention by general manager Shanna Biser, who previously managed the property for Chestnut. If early customer reviews are any indication, Biser and her new team are doing well: Ratings on every major review service are higher than four out of five stars.

Availability is limited during football season, so early reservations are recommended.